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Events related to this officer

30 May 1942While Ramillies (Capt. D.N.C. Tufnell, DSC, RN) was anchored in Diego Suarez harbour (Madagascar), two midget submarines were launched at nightfall from Japanese submarines I-16 (offsite link) and I-20 (offsite link). One, from I-20, managed to get through and enter the harbour, finding Ramillies and the British tanker British Loyalty (6,993 tons.). Armed with only two torpedoes, the Japanese commander chose to target both vessels, each with a torpedo. He achieved both hits, sinking the tanker and probably saving the battleship from sinking. Severely damaged, she nevertheless could be towed to Durban, where she undertook temporary repairs from June to August. Later she returned home to Plymouth where full repairs were completed from September 1942 to June 1943. (1)